Improved military or other riding-saddle



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT SPENCER, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

IMPROVED MILITARY OR OTHER RIDING-SADDLE.

Specication forming part of Letters Patent No. 34,320, dated February 4, 1862.

T0 O/,ZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ROBERT SPENCER, of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented. a new and Improved Military or other Riding-Saddle; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making a part of this specification, in which" Figure 1 is a perspective view of my invention complete. Fig. 2 is a plan or top view ot the tree of the same; Fig. 3, a transverse vertical section of Fig. 1, taken in the line xtc, Fig. 1. l

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures.

The object of this invention is to obtain a military or other riding-saddle which will conform to the shape of the back of the horse and lit perfectly thereon, and which will form a irm seat for the rider and retain its shape however much it may be used.

To enable those skilled in the art to fully understand and construct my invention, I will proceed to describe it.

A A represent two parts which form the tree. These parts are of wood, are made to approximate in form to the sides of the animal, and are connected at their front and back ends by springs B B, which should be of steel, bent in proper form and secured by rivets or bolts a to the parts A A. The upper edges ot the parts A A are not brought in contact with each other. A space h is allowed between them, as shown clearly in Fig. 2, said space being directly over the spine or backbone of the animal when the saddle is adjusted upon it.

Each part A of the tree has a cantle C attached to it. These cantles are of wood, and they are secured by screws or bolts to the tree. Each cantle resembles in shape one half of an ordinary cantle, which extends entirely around the back of the tree. In this invention it will be seen that it is necessary to have the cantle formed of two parts-one for each part A-in order that said parts A may be adjusted snugly to the back of the animal.

Under the action of the girth, were the cantles C C united, this result could not be attained. The cantles C O incline backward from their lower to their upper ends, as shown clearly in Fig. l.

Near the front end of each part A of the tree there is secured a front piece D. These front pieces are also of wood, and they are secured by screws or bolts to the parts A A in the same way as the cantles C, and they are also inclined so as to be parallel or about parallel with the cantles, as shown in Fig. l. The front pieces D D serve to prevent the rider being thrown forward over the saddle and are designed to supersede the ordinary pommel of military saddles, which is at the center of the saddle -bow, and frequently causes rupture in consequence of the rider being thrown upon it. This difficulty, it is believed, is avoided by the within-described invention,as the front pieces D D form a firm bearing for the thighs of the rider, and in the event of the stumbling of the animal, sudden stoppage, or other causes the rider will be prevented from being thrown forward. The front pieces, it will be seen, cannot in the least interfere with the adjustment ot the tree to the back of the animal.

The space b between the two parts A A ot' the tree is covered by apiece or strip of rawhide c. This strip of rawhide is stretched longitudinally, so as to cause it to curve in bow form in its transverse section, as shown clearly in Fig. 3. The strip o may be secured to the parts AA by tacks or otherwise. (See Vdotted lines, Fig. 2.) It is essential that the strip c should be well stretched,in order that it may have the necessary curved form in its transverse section, and thereby prevent the upper edges of the parts A A from being prominent and forming an unpleasant seat for the rider. After the strip C is attached to the upper edges of the parts A A ot the tree the whole device is covered with rawhide d, and the edges ot' the cantles O O and front pieces D D are bound with metal e to prevent the chaiing ot the rawhide at those parts.

The springs BB should not be so stiff as to prevent the parts A A being adjusted to the animal under the action of the girth, and still they should not be so weak as to be too readily acted upon by the girth and cause the lower edges ofthe parts A Ato press or bear in an l undue manner upon or against the animal.

I do not claim, broadly, the employment or use of a front piece attached to a saddle to The cantles C C and front pieces DD, when form a guard to prevent the rider being applied to 0r used in connection with the parts thrown forward, for such device has been A A of the tree, connected by the springs B previously used, although arranged entirely B, as and for the purpose specified.

different from the plan herein shown and de- ROB'I. SPENCER. scribed; but Witnesses:

I do claim as new and desire to secure by JAMES LAIRD,

Letters Patent- J. W. COOMBS. 

